2023-24 College Basketball Thread

[shafnutz05]

That LSU Iowa game was fun to watch tonight. Clark is unbelievable.

[LITT]

Hopefully you stick around for UConn usc because juju and bueckers are better

[shafnutz05]

Hopefully you stick around for UConn usc because juju and bueckers are better

Bueckers is my favorite in the women's game right now. Complete player

[skullman80]

Caitlin Clark has that swagger that all great players have. Her range is ridiculous, but she can also distribute the ball very well. Angel Reese also played very well for being hobbled, LSU should have gotten her the ball more. LSU just couldn't hit a shot early in the 3rd quarter to save their life.

I saw some of the UCONN/USC game, but not enough to really have an opinion.

Either way these ladies certainly brought eyes to these games that normally wouldn't have watched (like myself).

[willeyeam]

Hopefully you stick around for UConn usc because juju and bueckers are better

ok easy pal

[Orlando Penguin]

I was only home for the 4th quarter of the Iowa-LSU game and by that point, it was a comfortable margin. I was a bit surprised that Mulkey didn't gameplan anything physical on Clark to try to frustrate her. There's a blueprint out there to put shackles on her offensively and it's odd that a coach like Mulkey wouldn't lean in to those scouting reports plus what she did to her in the championship game last year.

As for the UCONN-USC game, you could see the experience bubble to the top in the final 5 minutes. 1-point game and Bueckers gets that leaning baseline fade. Next time down, Juju forces a shot and Bueckers comes down and gets a 3. Now it's a 6-point game. Next trip, Juju misses a layup and then on the next trip, she misses another jumper. UCONN gets another layup and now they're up 8 and in a pretty good spot (minus all those missed free throws at the end). It's right to get your best player looks and Juju should be getting shots but you also have to think the defense is going to be keying on her and Juju wasn't looking for her teammates at that point. That's one big difference with Clark is that if she does get bottled upon a possession, she's got such court vision that she'll set up buckets in other ways.

[Orlando Penguin]

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Thanks Biden. Thanks Boeing.

[Orlando Penguin]

Just another NCAA f-up.

[shafnutz05]

This NIT championship is entertaining. Sycamores should have been in the tournament.

[RonnieFranchise]

Bye cool white dude

[shafnutz05]

That was one terrible quarter of basketball by Iowa

[skullman80]

Very very sloppy. Iowa is gonna need someone other than Clark to score until she gets going. That UConn guard has her on lockdown so far.

[skullman80]

Clark making bad passes tonight.

[shafnutz05]

Yeah she looks awful, Muhl is in her head

[skullman80]

UConn should be up more. Interesting to see how Iowa tries to adjust in these last two quarters.

Clark is ice cold from outside. Nika Muhl has alot to do with that though.

[Orlando Penguin]

Smartest thing for Iowa to do would be do everything possible to get Muhl a 3rd and even 4th foul asap in the 3rd quarter. UCONN is doing the exact thing Nebraska did in the 4th quarter of their upset comeback win back in January. The supporting cast isn't as good on their own if Clark isn't setting them up. Meanwhile, UCONN has been pissing away numerous chances to extend the lead with their own dumb turnovers and a lot of missed open looks. Iowa is very fortunate to be down 6 at half.

[shafnutz05]

Wow that was big time from Clark

[nocera]

What a trash call.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Nickel

And

Dimer

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Oddly enough Edwards tackled Marshall about 2 minutes ago with no call

[skullman80]

Don’t like that call at all.

[Ad@m]

[Orlando Penguin]

Was it a moving screen? Maybe. Did Marshall sell the contact like she should have? Yes she did. Live, I thought it was marginal and I can't put a whistle on marginal. There were a number of other questionable screens throughout the game that weren't called so why are we putting a whistle on a similar one at that point in the game. Yes, I believe a call has to be made at any point in the game if it's egregious enough. I don't think this one reached the level. Hell, there was a handoff by Martin in the backcourt to Clark where she knocked a chasing Muhl off her balance and that should have been whistled but because Muhl didn't go flying, they ignored it, and by the way the game had been called at the point, that was the right move. If you flip the situation and say there's no whistle and Bueckers gets the ball and either makes the shot or hits Edwards on the roll for a look in the lane, is there any vitriol about a missed moving screen call? It might get mentioned but there wouldn't be endless Twitter bandwidth and multiple segments on highlight shows dedicated to a miss.

That call aside, it was a great game with some terrific back & forth. Iowa's supporting cast of Stuelke and Martin stepped up big time with some clutch shots in the lane. UCONN's bigs hit some key midrange shots in the middle of the 4th quarter that kept the Huskies in earshot of the lead. I thought UCONN would wilt when the lead got to 9 and weirdly, the officials helped them by checking a replay on Marshall's shot to get it to 9 (her foot was on the line) so that saved UCONN a timeout and allowed them to regroup.

[Orlando Penguin]

FINAL FOUR TODAY

NC State vs Purdue (-9 1/2)

When picking with a spread like this, it's an easy question -- do I think Team X will win by double digits? I say 'yes' in this matchup. People will be eyeing the Burns vs Edey matchup but I can't see how Keatts puts Burns on him given that Burns is a terrible defensive player. I also think that Burns's postgame will be severely limited with Big Maple standing there and not budging from all the contact that Burns dishes out. So for NC State, it's gonna come back to their guard play and if they can hit the open shots if/when Burns kicks it out to them (because they're still gonna have to use the post to run their offense). For Purdue, if Burns isn't going to guard Edey -- and I don't think he will -- then Edey could be looking at another 30+ point production like in the regional final. That plus I think Purdue's guards are overall better at both ends of the floor than NC State's will equal a comfortable win for the Boilers and on to Monday night.
PICK -- PURDUE

Alabama vs UCONN (-11 1/2)

For Bama to have any chance in this game, they'll need the game of their life. That means putting together 40 minutes similar to how they played in the 2nd half against Clemson. At this point, that's what it will take for a one-dimensional offensive team to take down the freight train that is the Huskies. Of course they could do it but they'll also need help from UCONN who has 6 players that can beat you at their offensive end and oh by the way, is the 4th-best team in defensive efficiency. Neither Pringle nor Nelson will be a good match for Clingan down low (or Johnson when he's in there) and Bama is way too scattershot defensively to handle UCONN's multi-prong attack. Now, if UCONN is ice cold from the outside, that will keep Bama in it. But I think the defensive end will be the biggest difference as Hurley will have his guys run Bama off the 3-point line, similar to his gameplan in Portland in November 2022 in a 82-67 win (Bama was 6 of 16 from 3, only one player -- Sears -- saw meaningful minutes that is on this year's Tide). The chance of the back door being open looms large but one thing UCONN has also shown is that they stay for the kill and don't just coast when they have a lead. Gimme the champs.
PICK -- UCONN